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A Place for Articles on the Music Industry

This new section of the Mixing Live Sound site offers articles on many topics related to the music industry.

Sound Articles is an article directory focused on the music industry. I am reprinting some available articles here, but I hope that those with knowledge to share and an interest in being published on the Internet will add their own articles to this space.

This has only just begun and could be quite an adventure, so check back often or subscribe to the RSS feed to get a summary of the latest articles.

Latest Articles

A live "sound reinforcement" system (like the ones used in concert venues, churches, and music festivals) is a collection of electronic components that allow sound waves to be converted into electrical signal, amplified, and then converted back into audible sound, usually at a much higher volume level.

Sound mixing is an art which relies on technological tools for expression. Professional music producers spend a lot of time mixing their creations because mixing done the right or wrong way can make or break a song.

Summer is almost upon us, and so is the season for bands of all kinds to be invited to play outdoors - at a restaurant, at an outdoor party, at a national park. Wherever it is, all you have to do is set up your stuff and play, just like it was another night at the Itchy Kitty, right? Well, not exactly.

When you are a new band, playing live is nerve wracking enough without having to worry about the front of house sound. Surely it’s enough to be concerned about whether your finely crafted and highly practised material will stand up to public scrutiny, or if you’ll make a tube of yourself by falling off the stage in front of the gathered mass of friends and family.

At a gig, typically in a club or restaurant, the first part of my job consists of setting up the mixer, power amp, and effects boxes, running the snake to the playing area, and hooking up the instruments and vocal microphones to the snake. During the show, I ride the mixer faders as needed to keep the sound balanced and respond to requests from the band for level changes in the monitors.

Ever wondered why some drummers kits sound amazing and others sound terrible? Want to make your drum kit sound sweet on the live stage? What follows is what i think are just a few of the things you need to do to have a glitch free gig with a great drum sound that blends in with the rest of the band.

One of the worst events that can befall a band during a show, aside from actual injury to any of its members, is to have a screeching blast of feedback suddenly deafen the audience, sending the band's approval rating spiraling downward.

Audio engineering training prepares you for a rewarding career in music. Audio engineering training is something you might want to consider if you're interested in music and have a way with technology.

PA systems (aka live sound) range from those that put out just a few watts like those for addressing a large boardroom to the mega systems that put out tens of thousands of watts like those that are used for mega music events in stadia.

Many believe the music industry is limited to playing instruments or singing. However, this couldn't be more untrue. Many people make livings by doing other very important jobs related to marketing the artists.

How did we get to this state in the evolution of music technology and performing arts, where a mix can make such a big difference? A song which hasn't been mixed very well stands almost no chance at all nowadays to reach the charts. Times have changed. In the 70s and 80s a song didn't necessarily have to be mixed well, as long as it had a good melody and a well known vocalist who sang. If it sounds exciting, then you might want to read a book on mixing

Professionals will tell you there are key rules to following when knowing how to restring a guitar. Three significant rules to consider. I am a trained guitarist and have changed strings 1000's of times. Please make use of these points if you are a newbie.

Independent artists have long struggled to gain recognition and attract an audience. Without the backing of a major label it can be very difficult for independent artists to obtain radio play time, that is, until now. Podcasting a revolutionary new medium, has opened new distribution channels for independent artists.